I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vehicle bodies and, more particularly, to removable panel arrangements for the roof of vehicles and, specifically, to a collapsible roof panel.
II. Description of the Prior Art
Removable panels have been provided of the type in which a pair of panels are disposed in association with the door opening at opposite sides of the vehicle. Examples of such panels are disclosed in U. S. Pat. Nos. 2,556,062 and 4,120,529. Such arrangements are commonly referred to as T-tops or hatch tops and include rigid and heavy panel portions that are adapted to enclose the roof access openings which define the T-top or hatch top configurations. The roof panels, such as the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,120,529, are large, relatively heavy and are difficult to use. Because of their size and weight they must either be stored in the trunk of the automobile or left in storage at a garage or the like. If an individual is utilizing such a T-top roof with conventional removable panels and desires to enclose the automobile for a short period of time, it is necessary to remove the roof panels from the automobile trunk and position them on the car. Because it is both difficult and time consuming to remove the roof panels, many users simply do not remove the panels at all. This reluctance on the part of the user to remove the roof panels defeats the entire purpose of such roof configurations. It would therefore be desirable to provide a simple and inexpensive means to premit the users of such T-top and hatch top configurations to quickly enclose the access openings without the need for having to utilize the more permanent and heavier roof panels that are provided by the manufacturer.
Other prior art of which the applicant is aware are U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,245,278; 2,897,002; 3,156,497; 3,373,792; and 3,964,783.